Winter Essentials

I've not done a 'what's in my bag' post for ages and, while this isn't one of those posts in the strictest sense, I did want to talk a little around some wintery seasonal essentials. Winter has well and truly arrived, and so its never been a better time to re-evaluate the contents of your bag!

I've chosen a few items that I use more during the winter months than the summer and really rely on when the weather cools. I have included a selection of fashion and beauty items and the first thing that I love for winter is represented by my watch; rose gold. I love wearing rose gold anyway, but I love the way it looks particularly in winter. It's very warming with its soft rose tone and looks great on pale or dark skins, I tend to wear more gold than silver anyway but even if you prefer silver, give rose gold a try for something a little different!

I usually change my perfume over the autumn and winter. This summer I wore a lot of Estee Lauder's 'Bronze Goddess' which is basically the scent of summer in a bottle. For the winter I switch over to this 'Love Chloe' which is a more heady, heavier scent that doesn't work for me in summer but seems to be perfect for winter. It is quite a dark floral with notes of hyacinth and iris absolute and you can buy it from the Perfume Shop here.

My hands always crack up in the winter and as soon as the weather gets colder I find myself relying on hand creams more and more often. This one from Aveeno is amazing; it lasts really well and whilst I wasn't sold on the scent initially (it's quite oaty) I do love the texture and the way it leaves my hands really soft, so I've learnt to live with it!

Sunglasses are quite a summery choice but that low winter sun is always more blinding, so they are definitely still an essential. These ones came from MyBag and I love the simple design. The metal frames and darker lenses also tie in nicely with my winter wardrobe which tends to consist of clean simple styles and neutrals and darker tones.

For my face, a skincare saviour comes in the form of this L'occitane divine oil which is perfect for dry, winter-chapped skin. I usually apply this before moisturising and it really helps to keep my face soft and to calm any redness. I usually have a small bottle in my makeup bag; it has so many uses as well as for the face, it can be mixed in with body lotion or hand cream to intensify or used as a styling oil for split ends.

Another multitasking product that I am loving is this Dainty Doll wonderbalm. I blogged about this range here and of all the products I've bought this is the one I've used the most. The lid of the pot has a really handy mirror in it and this balm is perfect for dry lips or cracked hands. It has a tiny amount of shimmer to it so can also be used as a highlighter; a perfect handbag hero.

Finally I wanted to share my new bag! I bought this leather satchel from ASOS as my handbag is enormous and was just filled with all sorts of stuff I didn't need. To save my shoulder I invested in this one which is a great size and has loads of pockets and compartments, ideal for everyday.